System with real-time detection and resolution of conflicts for shared resources

Abstract

A method of managing shared resources includes detecting, upon receiving a request to extend a current use of a shared resource, a conflict in resource data between a requested end time of the current use and an earlier beginning time of a subsequent use. In one example the shared resource may be a conference room, the uses are adjacently scheduled meetings. The method further includes, in response to detecting the conflict, (1) receiving a permission indication with respect to the request, and (2) in response to the permission indication identifying acceptance of the request, (a) calculating a granted extension time for the current use, and (b) updating the resource data to add the granted extension time to a scheduled end time of the current use and the scheduled beginning time of the subsequent use to enable use of the shared resource without conflict.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of managing shared resources, comprising:
 detecting, in response to receipt of a request to extend a current use of a shared resource, a conflict in resource data between a requested end time of the current use and a beginning time of a subsequent use of the shared resource, the requested end time being later than a scheduled beginning time for the subsequent use; and   in response to detecting the conflict, (1) receiving a permission indication with respect to the request, and (2) in response to the permission indication identifying acceptance of the request, (a) calculating a granted extension time for the current use, and (b) updating the resource data to add the granted extension time to a scheduled end time of the current use and the scheduled beginning time of the subsequent use to enable use of the shared resource without conflict.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shared resource is a shared meeting resource, and the resource data is meeting data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the shared meeting resource is a conference room. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein (1) the current use and subsequent use are respective meetings scheduled by respective meeting owners, (2) the request is received from a first client device associated with a current meeting owner for a current meeting, and (3) the permission indication is received from a second client device associated with a next meeting owner for a subsequent meeting. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the updating of the resource data includes updating of data stored at resource client devices, and further including, at the resource client devices, generating local notifications to respective resource users based on the updated data, the local notifications informing the resource users of an adjusted time of the current use and the adjusted beginning time of the subsequent use. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the granted extension time includes calculations based on historical resource data concerning past time extensions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the calculations based on historical resource data include use of a punishment factor and a reward factor, the punishment factor used to reduce the granted extension time based on past occurrences of extension requests for the shared resource, the reward factor used to offset the punishment factor and thereby increase granted extension time based on past occurrences of early completions of use of the shared resource. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the calculations further include weighting factors representing a number of users affected by the past occurrences of extension requests and early completions of use. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the calculations based on historical resource data are additionally based on policy data explicitly describing associated policies for granting of extensions. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further including, based on occurrence of a trigger, sending a query message to a device of a current user of the shared resource, and wherein the request is received as a response to the query message. 
     
     
         11 . A resource management system having one or more computerized devices collectively configured and operative to manage shared resources, the computerized devices including respective processors and memory storing computer program instructions of a resource management application, the computer program instructions being executed by the processors to cause the resource management system to perform management of shared resources, including:
 detecting, in response to receipt of a request to extend a current use of a shared resource, a conflict in resource data between a requested end time of the current use and a beginning time of a subsequent use of the shared resource, the requested end time being later than a scheduled beginning time for the subsequent use; and   in response to detecting the conflict, (1) receiving a permission indication with respect to the request, and (2) in response to the permission indication identifying acceptance of the request, (a) calculating a granted extension time for the current use, and (b) updating the resource data to add the granted extension time to a scheduled end time of the current use and the scheduled beginning time of the subsequent use to enable use of the shared resource without conflict.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the shared resource is a shared meeting resource, and the resource data is meeting data. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the shared meeting resource is a conference room. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein (1) the current use and subsequent use are respective meetings scheduled by respective meeting owners, (2) the request is received from a first client device associated with a current meeting owner for a current meeting, and (3) the permission indication is received from a second client device associated with a next meeting owner for a subsequent meeting. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the updating of the resource data includes updating of data stored at resource client devices, the resource client devices being configured an operative to generate local notifications to respective resource users based on the updated data, the local notifications informing the resource users of an adjusted time of the current use and the adjusted beginning time of the subsequent use. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein calculating the granted extension time includes calculations based on historical resource data concerning past time extensions. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the calculations based on historical resource data include use of a punishment factor and a reward factor, the punishment factor used to reduce the granted extension time based on past occurrences of extension requests for the shared resource, the reward factor used to offset the punishment factor and thereby increase granted extension time past on past occurrences of early completions of use of the shared resource. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the calculations further include weighting factors representing a number of users affected by the past occurrences of extension requests and early completions of use. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the calculations based on historical resource data are additionally based on policy data explicitly describing associated policies for granting of extensions. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions, the instructions being executable by a set of one or more computers to cause the computers to perform a method of managing shared resources, the method including:
 detecting, in response to receipt of a request to extend a current use of a shared resource, a conflict in resource data between a requested end time of the current use and a beginning time of a subsequent use of the shared resource, the requested end time being later than a scheduled beginning time for the subsequent use; and   in response to detecting the conflict, (1) receiving a permission indication with respect to the request, and (2) in response to the permission indication identifying acceptance of the request, (a) calculating a granted extension time for the current use, and (b) updating the resource data to add the granted extension time to a scheduled end time of the current use and the scheduled beginning time of the subsequent use to enable use of the shared resource without conflict.